Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for china and pottery

A Cup (or Two) of Joe & Some Pretty Yarn

September 23, 2013 at 9:13 am by Claudia

You know how you see some object in a store or on a blog and somewhere in your brain you register that you really like it? And then you see it over and over and you think, “Oh, well now I’m seeing it everywhere” and you (meaning me) dismiss it? That happens to me frequently. A few weeks ago I saw a photo somewhere in blogland of a mug/bottle rack filled with colorful cups and mugs. One of them was a large Anthropologie cup in a pattern that I loved – the very thing I had rejected so many times in the past.

Well, darn it! There it was back in my head again.

And I thought to myself, “There are very few things you can afford at Anthropologie, Claudia. But you can spring for a pretty cup or two.”

So, yesterday I escaped from downtown Hartford and drove to Anthropologie. I do love that store and we don’t have one near us back home. They sure know how to style and market their merchandise. It’s always a treat for the eyes.

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Ah. Do you see why I love it? It’s oversized and holds a lot of coffee or tea. The little flower right under the  top of the handle is such a sweet touch.

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Well, I couldn’t help it. I got one in red, too. I had to, aqua and red are the colors of this blog.

They’re for me. I can safely assure you that Don will not be interested in them.

I had some herbal tea in the red cup yesterday afternoon. And I’m drinking my morning coffee from the aqua cup. They make me smile. And they sure beat the mug I’ve been using with the words “Spring Green General Store” stamped on the side. Nothing against Spring Green. It is a lovely little town and is yet another place where I lived for several weeks while on a coaching job.

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There are flowers at the bottom of the cup – a lovely surprise.

I’ve also been feeling the siren call of crochet. It happens every year, like clockwork, as the temperature begins to drop.

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So I stopped at Joann’s. This is the incredibly soft yarn I use on some of the scarves for the Etsy shop. It’s made of silk and bamboo.

Oh, and before I forget:

skyline

That white building you see on the left is the one that is reflected in the waters of the pond on Saturday’s post. If you look closely at those photos you’ll see bits of the building rearranged and repeated, creating that incredible design. I took this photo yesterday during my walk around the park.

I temporarily halted my reading of The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny to read Michael Connelly’s newest, The Black Box. It was on the New Fiction shelves at the library. I would have been tempted to buy it, so I ended up saving some money. I’m halfway through it and have to finish it soon because I’m leaving on Saturday. (And since I saved money, I feel I can validate the cup purchase. See how that works?)

Two of my former students won Emmy’s last night and they’ve both won them before. Dear Jim Parsons won his third Emmy for The Big Bang Theory. And Abraham Higginbotham won his second Emmy for Modern Family. He is a writer and producer on that show and he was onstage during the acceptance speech. I taught Abe at Boston University when he was a young man studying acting. (He’s a good actor, by the way.) Former students, now good friends; I am thrilled for both of these great guys.

Happy Monday.

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Filed Under: china and pottery, crochet, Jim Parsons, On The Road, yarn 51 Comments

What Is It About Whatnots?

April 9, 2013 at 9:30 am by Claudia

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I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a soft spot for whatnots: sets of light, open shelves for displaying knick knacks. As I am a collector and have lots of knick knacks, it was inevitable that I would seek them out. And isn’t ‘whatnot’ a lovely, old-fashioned name? That alone would draw me to them. Plus, I think they are quite cottagey (yes, I made that word up) and fit in with my Christmas in Connecticut type decorating style.

The first whatnot shelf that came into our house was this one. As my egg cup collection grew, I realized that I had to find some way to display them. We found this whatnot in a local antique store – I fell in love with the fan shape at the top and this carving on the sides:

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Even though I tend to paint things around here, I can’t touch this beauty. The finish is in great shape and I love it just the way it is.

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Then there’s this sweet, sweet whatnot, found in another local shop several years ago. I’ve never seen another one like this. The shelves are curved and the carving on the sides is so charming. It reminds me of something that would be in Hansel and Gretel’s little cottage.

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It lives in the den, where I discovered that it perfectly matches the framed print over the sofa. A nice little bit of serendipity.

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Also in the den: this little whatnot. It came to me from Heidi’s shop, where it had been in our friend Reyna’s space. After Reyna died, Heidi gave it to me. Originally it had a dark, dark finish and the back was mirrored. I painted it and used scrapbook paper to cover up the mirror. Perfect for holding my mini pottery collection. And a lovely memory of Reyna.

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Then there’s this whatnot, which hangs in the studio. I got it for a song years ago. It had a dark finish with a lot of damage, so I painted it and hung it over my sewing machine. The scrollwork on the sides is gorgeous.

My smallest little whatnot is this one:

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A vintage spice shelf I fell in love with at first sight. I swooned over the paint colors, the little dowels designed to keep the spices from falling off the shelf, and that art deco like design at the top. I had to have it.

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It lives in the studio, right under the mantel turned shelf.

As I am an unrepentant collector, I’m sure I will find more of these whatnots and bring them home to the cottage. After all, Don just gave me two more egg cups from Prague! (Photos tomorrow.) I simply have to find some space for them, right?

Don’s home. He didn’t get here until about 10:30 last night. I have only seen a few photos, though I’m sure I’ll see lots more today. Scout is currently driving me crazy here in the den. She starts at every little sound, thinking it must be her dad getting up. She is even making noises: grunts, sighs, moans. It’s her way of saying “When is he going to get up???” That little girl adores her dad.

Happy Tuesday.

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Filed Under: china and pottery, collecting, decorating, Don, egg cups, Scout 46 Comments

I’ve Been…

April 7, 2013 at 8:33 am by Claudia

sundayshakespearebooks

Researching Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. My personal favorite of all his plays.

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Comparing notes, checking meter, looking up obscure word meanings, while this girl is at my side:

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A freshly bathed, sweet smelling, silky coated girl. My pal.

sundaykitchenisland

Changing the display on the kitchen island. Will it stay? Not sure. But our favorite rabbit cookie jar was in a corner and I wanted to see it every day.

sundaysupplies

Stocking up on supplies: darning needles, sewing machine needles, fabric. Must have everything ready to go to Hartford in less than two weeks.

sundayquiltonbed

Working every evening on this. I have about one hour’s worth of hand quilting left and the top will be finished. I couldn’t resist putting it on the bed yesterday. I have callouses on my fingers, I’ve pricked myself more times than I can count, my back is sore from continually hunching over, but the end is in sight.

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Getting ready to start in on the binding. Happy that it’s almost done. It’s not perfect by a long shot, but I love it like a child.

doninperiodcostume

Skyping with this guy, here in his period costume. Distinguished, no? He’s been having the time of his life in Prague, sightseeing every spare moment, meeting new friends and colleagues, acting on film (which he loves), making the most of this gift, this wonderful opportunity. We miss him but he’ll be home tomorrow.

Happy Sunday.

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Filed Under: china and pottery, Don, quilting, Scout, Shakespeare 65 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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